Lifeboat safety mounting



Dell 5, 1939- s. l. scHwABAcHER LIFEBOAT SAFETY MOUNTING Filed Aug. 30, 1938 /N VENTO/e hwaboch er' A TTO NE Y Patented Dec. 5, 1939 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

My invention relates to means for mounting lifeboats upon a vessel, and is concerned particularly with means to facilitate the safe launching of a lifeboat despite the particular position of inclination of the vessel on which the lifeboat is mounted.

It is an object of my invention to provide a lifeboat safety mounting which under normal conditions supports the lifeboat on a vessel in a manner virtually indistinguishable from present standard practice.

Another object of my invention is to provide a lifeboat safety mounting which can be rendered instantly effective in times of danger for orienting a lifeboat appropriately for facilitating the launching thereof.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a lifeboat safety mounting in which many of the present standard parts can be utilized.

A further object of my invention is to provide a lifeboat mounting vwhich is reliable and eifective in emergency.

The foregoing and other objects are attained in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a cross-section on a vertical, longitudinal plane showing a vessel with the lifeboat safety mounting of my invention incorporated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section the plane of which is indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

In its preferred form, the lifeboat safety mounting of my invention is for use on a vessel having a deck and includes a platform adapted to form a continuation of the deck and upon which a lifeboat is mounted, there being provided a mechanism for urging the platform into a position in which the lifeboat is level, and also a latching means, releasable preferably from a remote point, for constraining the platform to remain in a position substantially in conformity with the deck.

In a typical installation, the lifeboat safety mounting of my invention is included in a vessel,

generally designated 6, which is provided with a deck 1 enclosing the framework 8 of the vessel. Incorporated with the framework are crossbeams 9 and I I upon which a mounting plate I2 is supported. This plate forms part of a socket I3 the other portion of which is formed by a removable cap I4 within which a ball I6 is disposed. This arrangement provides for a ball and socket or universal articulation or connection with the vessel framework.

Supported by the ball I6 through the medium of a bracket I1 is a platform I8 intended to fill an opening I9 formed in the deck 1 normally so that the platform I8 is in conformity with or is substantially a continuation of the deck 1. Arranged on the platform I8 are davits 2I and 22 5 which support, through the customary block and tackle mechanisms 23, a standard lifeboat 24. The davits 2l and 22 and the tackle mechanism 23 are of any desired standard kind effective in case of emergency to swing the lifeboat 24 from 10 a position over the platform I8 into a launching position 23.

In order that the lifeboat 24 can be maintained in a level position and consequently the most favorable position for launching in the event of 15 pitching or listing of the vessel 6, I provide means, preferably responsive to gravity and in the form of a counterweight 21, for urging the platform IS, and consequently the lifeboat 24, normally into a level position despite the position of the 20 vessel. The counterweight 21 is preferably pendent from a stem 28 extending from the ball I6 and is effective through a very wide range of relative movement to maintain the lifeboat 24 level even though the deck 1 tips into the dotted 25 line position shown in Fig. l or into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2. f

Since the effect of the counterweight 21 is necessary only for use during emergency, and since normally it is preferable to have the plat- 30 form I8 form a substantial continuation of the deck 1, I provide a pair of releasable latches 3l and 32 which are effective to engage sockets 33 and 34, respectively, on the platform I8 in order to retain the platform in a predetermined or 35 selected position. For releasing the latches 3| and 32, and for releasing comparable latches on similar lifeboat mounting at other points on the vessel, I preferably extend control cables 36 and 31 to a common actuating means 38 preferably 4.0 in the form of a lever 39 located at a central control point, so that, in the event of emergency, an operator can immediately release all of the latches 3l and 32 on the vessel so that the safety lifeboat mounting is effective immediately to 45 orient all of the lifeboats into a level position for maximum safety in launching. For the remote contingency that the central control mechanism 38 may be disabled, I preferably provide on each of the latches 3| and 32 a local controller 4I 50 which can be recessed in the deck but by manipulation of which a person can release the lifeboat mounting for operation.

I claim:

1. A lifeboat safety mounting for use on a 55 vessel, comprising a universal socket secured to the framework of the vessel, a ball in said socket, a platform mounted on said ball and adapted in one position to constitute a smooth continuation of a deck of said vessel, relasable means for holding said platform in said position, lifeboat davits mounted on said platform, and a counterweight for urging said platform into level position despite the position of said vessel.

2. A lifeboat safety mounting for use on a Vessel, comprising a platform, means for mounting said platform for swinging movement into and out of one position wherein said platform constitutes a smooth continuation of the deck of said vessel, a releasable latch for holding said from said lifeboat for releasing said latching means.

SAMUEL I. SCI-IWABACHER. 

